


How To Pretend Until You're Not

by tigermochaeyu



Category: Power Rangers (2017)
Genre: Drinking, F/F, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Light Angst, Partying, i don't really specify how old they are in this so i guess if you wanna perceive it that way, i promise this isn't like every other fake dating au, just figured i'd include it, nothing too major, some sexual content, sort of underage drinking i guess?, why do i tag so much
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-11-01
Packaged: 2019-01-23 15:23:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,781
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12510372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tigermochaeyu/pseuds/tigermochaeyu
Summary: A seven step guide to pretending you're not available until you're not available.





	1. Step One

**Author's Note:**

> This whole story is already written lmao

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step One: Find a partner_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: Freal Love by Far East Movement_

Parties have never really been Trini's scene. Too many people, too much socializing, too much smoke and alcohol. Crowded hallways and overheated rooms. Horny teenagers making out against every surface area they can find. Trini's always been a loner so the minute a party arose, she was in the opposite direction. Never liked them, not her thing.

But parties with her Rangers, on the other hand, are _definitely_ her thing.

It's the same as regular parties, of course, except with the Rangers she has more options than just to stand along the wall.

With Jason, he'll lift her up onto his shoulders or give her a piggy back ride through the house, both of them drunkenly yelling about how they're the coolest kids ever. It's also an advantage when they need to find another ranger in the crowd. Jason made it carefree and jubilant.

With Zack, it's always a contest. Who can throw back the most shots, who can play the best game of beer pong, who can kiss more people in the crowd, etc. It was never a dull moment with the black ranger because he refused to let it be. Zack made it lively and exhilarating.

With Billy, it's always safe. While the blue ranger will gladly partake in alcohol consumption from time to time, he more often offered to be the designated driver for the other rangers. His constant watching eyes and questions of wellbeing made Trini know she would never be left alone. Billy made it safe and comfortable.

With Kim, it's incredible. She knows just how to let loose without going over the edge, knows just how to let go without losing herself. The pink ranger always manages to get Trini out of her comfort zone and onto the dance floor, the two lost in the mass of sweaty bodies as they laughed and danced the night away. Kim made it wild and freeing.

But, as with every party, there are the downsides. The biggest being the huge creeps that think they can hit on the Rangers, Kim and Trini specifically, because they're egotistical snobs that think they can get whatever they want. The girls do a pretty good job of avoiding them, what with staying by the guys and all, but sometimes the creeps manage to find them.

"Trini!" Kim yells over the loud music, shoving her way through the crowd towards the kitchen and yellow ranger. Trini is currently perched on Jason's back, so with a quick tap to his shoulder he lets her slide down, landing a little wobbly on her feet from the alcohol in her system. Kim looks wild as she approaches, the shorter girl looking at her like she's crazy.

"What's up, Princess?" Trini asks once Kim is in her vicinity, close enough to hear her over the loud conversations and music

"I need you to be my girlfriend," Kim rushes out in one breath, chest heaving from the effort of getting through the crowd.

Trini's eyes grow wide as saucers.

So do Kim's.

"I-I mean, there's this creepy ass guy who won't stop hitting on me a-and I need you to _pretend_ to be my girlfriend," Kim stutters, but Trini nods in understanding. She smirks playfully to hide the fact that her blood is boiling, pissed to no end that some asshole thinks he's entitled to Kim's body and making her worried enough to need a fake relationship to ward him off. A thought crosses her mind and the smirk is wiped off of Trini's face, replaced with a concerned furrow of her brow.

"Wait, why not Zack or Jason? Why me?" Trini asks, leaning into Kim so she'll hear her better over the background noise.

"I figured the gayer approach would get the point across faster," Kim shrugs, and Trini is throwing her head back with laughter. With a nod, Trini asks Jason to hand her a shot, downing it without a chaser and turning back to the pink ranger with a smile on her face, the alcohol burning down her throat.

"Alright, lead the way gorgeous," Trini winks, and ignores the flush of Kim's cheeks as they walk through the crowd hand in hand. 

Kim leads them into the living room, where a large crowd of teenagers has congregated to dance their woes away. Trini can't remember for the life of her whose house they're in, but at the moment she couldn't care less because Kim is in front of her. Kim is in front of her, smirking down at her, before wrapping her arms loosely around Trini's waist and moving her hips to the beat of the song.

'Jesus, Trini, keep it in your pants,' Trini thinks to herself as she smirks, wraps her arm loosely around Kim's neck and moves with the girl. They're not all over each other necessarily, just doing their usual routine: dance and let loose.

"Why don't you dance with me, babe?" Trini hears a guy beside her ask, looks up to see some knuckle-headed jock looking at Kim expectantly, like she's going to do what he said just because he asked nicely.

"Hey dipshit," Trini calls to him, earning a scowl as he looks in her direction, "she's dancing with me."

"Why dance with this pipsqueak when you can dance with a real man?" He asks Kim, obviously trying to take a jab at Trini's height to make her feel inferior.

"What part of 'I'm in a relationship' did you not get?" Kim asks with a level of sass Trini barely hears from her. It makes the yellow ranger smirk with a sense of pride, knowing she's rubbing off on the taller girl.

"What, you're dating her?" The guy laughs loudly, attracting a few eyes in the crowd. He wipes a stray tear from his eye, a shit eating grin on his face as he turns back to Kim, grabbing her forearm possessively. Trini's blood boils. 

"Come on, you've gotta be kidding. You're obviously just missing the right dick-"

Trini grabs his arm and twists it backward, making the jock squeal like a girl as he falls to his knee. The yellow ranger pins her wrist behind his back, standing behind him so she can talk directly into his ear. "Say one more homophobic thing to my girlfriend and I swear I'll rip your arm so far out of it's socket it'll never go back." The guy just whimpers helplessly, causing Trini to chuckle darkly in his ear. "That's what I thought. Leave us the fuck alone."

With that she lets go of his arm, the guy gasping in relief when his arm is freed. He quickly gets up, eyes flashing between Kim and a very pissed off Trini before running in the opposite direction towards the door. Trini huffs, thinks about how the guy put up such little fight, when a pair of arms are wrapped around her neck and Kim is pulling the yellow ranger into a tight hug. 

"Thank you," Kim whispers into her ear, and Trini can tell by her tone that she means it wholeheartedly. The pink ranger pulls back, staying close enough so that the girls can hear each other talk, but Trini's head is hazy because the two are _too_ close and it takes everything in her power to not look down at Kim's lips. "Let's keep dancing, yeah?"

Trini swallows thickly, nodding in agreement, and the second the two of their bodies are moving freely to the music Trini feels like she can breathe again.


	2. Step Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step Two: Convince the creep_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: Everyday by Ariana Grande_

"Hey Trin."

Trini looks up from her notebook to see Jason standing in front of her, smiling slightly before taking the seat across the table from her. The sounds of pages being turned and pencils scribbling down notes fill the library, Jason pulling out his own notebook and textbook as he gets settled with Trini.

"So.." He trails off, Trini rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"You here to tell me off for almost ripping that kid's arm off?" Trini says softly but with conviction, being sure not to attract the wrath of the librarian. Her blood is still boiling from the encounter with that asshole from last night, and it's well into Saturday afternoon. "Gonna tell me I broke one of Wall Dad's 'Ranger Rules'? Well newsflash, I don't give a fuck."

Trini turns back to her notebook, surprised when she's met with nothing but silence. Chancing a look at Jason, she sees the red ranger smiling playfully at his own notebook, twirling his pen in his hand.

"What?" She asks with an unintended bite to her tone of voice.

"I was actually gonna say it was really cool of you to step up for Kim like that. People like that guy are pieces of shit that totally deserve to get their asses handed to them," Jason shrugs, smile still on his face as he begins to write down some notes.

"Then why are you smiling like this is the funniest thing in the-" Trini stops in her tracks, her entire being filled with a completely done attitude towards Jason Scott and his shit-eating grin. "I swear to _god_ if this is a short thing."

When Jason doesn't answer nor look up at Trini, his shoulders shaking slightly with barely contained laughter, Trini punches him as hard as she can in the shoulder. Jason winces slightly from the pain but laughs uninhibited nonetheless.

"Fuck you, Scott," she whispers. He flashes an apologetic smile towards the shorter girl, and despite her irritation she smiles at the red ranger. She might hate when people pick on her height, but Jason was always quick to apologize, quick to make sure Trini feels comfortable with everyone before putting her into a situation.

"You're like a little sister to me, let me pick on you sometimes," he jests, Trini only glaring at him for the 'little' jab. He shakes his head with a laugh, putting his hands up in surrender. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding. You know I love you, T."

"Yeah yeah, I love you too asshole," Trini smirks, the two working on their homework side by side in comfortable silence.

After what felt like years of reading about homeostasis, Jason clears her throat slightly to gain Trini's attention. "There's a party going on at Lucas Kendall's house tonight, his parents are out of town. Think you're up for another wild night with the four of us?"

"If I turn down a Ranger Party, assume I've been possessed," Trini jokes, the two of them laughing just a little too loudly. The librarian shushes them obnoxiously, the pair making guilty eye contact and resorting to small chuckles to keep the attention off of them.

-

Trini is going to punch Jason the second she gets her hands on him.

For the first time ever at a party with the Rangers, she's been left alone. Jason ran with Zack to go play beer pong, completely forgetting about their intoxicated pint sized friend that they left behind. Trini was okay for about five minutes, just drinking the jungle juice in her hand and debating flirting with some people for some free tequila, when a tall guy with a girl hanging off of his arm came up to her.

"What are you doing over here all alone, pretty lady?" He asks, his words slurring way more than they should. The girl on his shoulder giggles breathily, leaning into his touch.

"Minding my own business," Trini manages to get out despite the bad vibes she's getting off of this dude.

"Wanna mind your own business with us upstairs?" The guy asks, clearly indicating something Trini wants no part of when he gestures to the girl beside him with a nod of his head. The yellow ranger has to physically swallow the bile in her throat when he smiles cockily, like what he says will go just because he wants it.

"Pass," is all she says, taking a sip of her drink and looking anywhere but the couple.

"Come on," he drawls, letting go of the girl beside him to step into Trini's space, pinning her against the counter. "It'll be fun."

"It'll be more fun if you get the fuck off of my girlfriend," Trini hears, and the guy steps back to reveal the one and only Kimberly Hart standing there, looking pissed beyond belief as she glares at the guy standing in front of Trini.

"Kimberly Hart. What, you fall from grace and then pretend to be interested in this little nobody?" The guy asks her, and Trini can see the fire spark in Kim's eyes. She steps forward, directly in the douchebag's personal bubble, poking him in the chest indignantly.

"I'll have you know, _Todd_ , I'm plenty interested in that girl right there," Kim says with such conviction that Trini almost believes it, staring at Kim with wide eyes. "And you can back the _fuck_ off of my girlfriend and leave her alone before I punch your tooth out, too."

The guy, Todd, rolls his eyes, clearly unimpressed. "You're bluffing. I bet you don't even know her name. That girl doesn't mean shit to you."

"Try me," Kim challenges, and before Trini can even comprehend what's going on, Kim is stepping into her personal space and cradling Trini's face in her hands. They make brief eye contact, Kim trying to ask if Trini's okay with what's about to happen before going through with it. A subtle nod is all Trini can give, and Kim is pulling her towards her and Trini is leaning up into Kim to meet her in the middle, their lips meeting softly.

Trini has never been more glad that she's leaning against a counter because she's sure her legs would give out from just a single touch of Kim's lips on her own.

It seems Kim is having the same issue, because her body seems to fall into Trini's, the kiss deepening involuntarily when her head tilts to the side to accommodate for the change in height. Trini groans slightly at the pressure on her front, her right hand coming to bury itself in Kim's short locks, accidentally tugging slightly. Kim moans, just barely but Trini can feel it in her mouth and she's sure it's not just the alcohol that has her head spinning now.

The girls pull back, just barely, eyes boring into one another's, chests heaving as their lungs scramble for oxygen. Trini's eyes flicker over Kim's shoulder, noticing that Todd and that girl have long since left. Trini can feel her body relax, despite the fact that Kim is entirely too close and Trini can still feel the pink ranger's lips on her own.

"Thank you," Trini swallows, her breath hitting the taller girl's lips. "For saving me from that dick."

"Anytime," Kim answers, her voice shaky and unsure. She finally steps back away from Trini and the shorter girl feels like she can finally breathe again with Kim a comfortable distance away. Kim flashes Trini a small, reassuring smile, one Trini quickly returns to comfort the girl in front of her. "So, dancing?"

"You know it," Trini smirks, and just like that everything is back to normal. Except Trini can still taste the hard whiskey that she never drank in her mouth and her lips are still tingling.


	3. Step Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step Three: Convince the crowd_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: Vibes by Tove Lo_

"Oh Kimmie!"

Kim cringes at the sound of that voice, knowing exactly who it's coming from. The pink ranger told her friends she was a little hesitant about coming to this party, what with it being hosted by her ex best friend and all, but they all promised they would make sure nothing happened to her. Of course now, with Amanda screaming through the room full of people for her attention, she knows that promise might be broken.

Kim turns around slowly, coming face to face with the one and only Amanda Clark, new head bitch of Angel Grove ever since Kim fell from grace by being a grade A asshole and sending Ty Flemming her nudes. Smiling as convincingly as possible, Kim brings her drink up to her lips before responding. "Hey Amanda. Did you need something?"

"Yeah, I need you to come play spin the bottle with my friends," Amanda smiles, such a fake smile that Kim's stomach churns with nerves. "They won't bite.. too hard, at least."

"I'm good, but thanks," Kim politely declines, moving to turn and head towards the back room where she's convinced the other rangers are playing flip cup when Amanda's hand lands on her shoulder, spinning her around to face her once again. 

"Ah ah ah, that's no way to treat the host of the party," Amanda drawls, a devious smirk on her lips. "Come on, it'll be good for you."

"Why do you say that?" Kim asks, crossing her arms defensively. She knows Amanda, knows she has some sort of ulterior motive to this game, but she can't figure it out just yet.

"Oh, haven't you heard?" Amanda asks in that sickeningly faux innocent tone of hers. "Rumor has it that you're the new lesbo of Angel Grove. So I figured I would help to, how you say, _straighten you out._ "

Kim groans, rolling her eyes at Amanda's stupid choice of words. Of course Todd would immediately tell everyone that he saw the one and only Kimberly Hart making out with a girl at the party last Saturday. It's only surprising that Kim hasn't heard anything about it until now, considering they had school all week and news travels fast in Angel Grove.

"Thanks Amanda, but no thanks," Kim says, much more irritated this time. Amanda, however, is having none of it and nearly drags Kim by her forearm to the dining room where a large group of fairly attractive men are seated in a circle, their eyes twinkling with their obvious intent once they see Kim enter the room.

Kim wouldn't find this so bad if she could stop thinking about kissing her best friend, but since that's how things were playing out Kim wasn't having this situation right now.

"Take a seat, Kimmie," Amanda says wickedly, pushing Kim towards the circle of guys when-

"Hey, what the _fuck_ is going on here?"

Kimberly turns to see Trini Gomez, clutching her beer bottle so hard that Kim can see the glass fracturing beneath her fingers. The girl looks pissed beyond belief, and Kim has to ignore the burning in her stomach once she sees the fire in Trini's eyes.

"We're just playing a little game with Kim, is all," Amanda says in her innocent tone once again, obviously trying to dismiss Trini with her so called 'power'. "Run along, this doesn't concern _nobodies._ "

"It concerns my girlfriend, so I think I'll stay right here," Trini says, an aggravated scowl on her face as she stares down Amanda. Kim can feel the relief coursing through her veins, thankful that Trini is so willing to pretend to date her just to help her out of a hairy situation like this, even if-

"Oh, so _this_ is the little baby gay you're sleeping around with!" Amanda says, the overly sweet tone of her voice making both Kim and Trini sick. "Damn Kim, you could've done so much better if you would've just let me help."

"Fuck off, Amanda," Kim snaps back, not letting anyone insult her best friend, not even her old best friend. The guys behind the three of them are all but forgotten at this point, watching the altercation in front of them play out.

"How about this," Amanda says, like she's gonna offer Kim some sort of deal. "Since you won't make out with any of these guys I spent _so_ much time finding for you, you and your little lesbo can play seven minutes in heaven!"

Without even giving Kim a chance to speak, Amanda grabs Trini and shoves her and Kim into the closet in the hallway, shutting the door behind them. "Don't bother coming out until you've proven that you're just lying to us, Kimmie!"

The closet is pretty small but there's a light and enough space for Trini and Kim to stand comfortably with their own space. Kim grabs the chain, pulling on it to turn the light on, and looks down to see Trini looking to the side, still incredibly pissed off.

"Trin, I'm so sorry that we're stuck here. It's all my fault," she apologizes, the shorter girl in front of her shaking her head as she gives her a small but reassuring smile.

"No, it's fine. I'd rather you be stuck here with me than having to make out with all of those dudes because your old best friend is a bitch," Trini says, a venomous tone to her voice, and Kim can't help but chuckle as she places her hand on Trini's shoulder.

"Thank you, seriously. You're absolutely amazing," Kim says honestly, a smile playing on her lips when Trini blushes slightly and ducks her head to block Kim from seeing it.

"It's nothing, you've done the same for me," Trini says, and Kim nods because it's true. "But they're gonna harass you again the second we step out that door."

Trini seems to realize something as her eyes widen, and Kim realizes what she was accidentally implying. "Oh shit, I didn't- we don't have to do anything. I'm perfectly content with sitting in this closet until it's time to leave."

But now Kim's mind is on that kiss from last week, how Trini's lips felt against her own, how it felt when Trini accidentally tugged on her hair, and Kim's suddenly hot all over. She shakes her head slightly, hoping to rid her mind of the thoughts she's having when the girl she's fantasizing about is literally right in front of her. But they're not going away and Kim can't help it when leans down and connects her lips to Trini's in a kiss that immediately turns needy and desperate.

Trini's hands are back in her hair, Kim gasping much louder than last time when they tug at her locks. It must've been Trini's plan, because the second Kim's mouth opens, Trini's tongue is making her way into it, meeting Kim's own with a long moan. Kim's whole body shudders at the sound, pulling Trini even closer to her than before, subconsciously rocking her hips into Trini's.

Trini's pants turn into whimpers, one of her hands migrating to Kim's hips to pull her closer, moving her own hips in time with Kim's until their both gasping into each other's mouths. Kim's eyes open slightly, and she feels heat shoot straight to her core at the sight of Trini's, her eyes squeezed shut with determination and her mouth hung open in pleasure.

" _Kim please_ ," Trini whispers against her mouth, and Kim is sure she's going to die here and-

The door whips open, Amanda staring at them with wide, shocked eyes. Trini stops basically riding Kim's thigh, the taller girl humming disappointedly at the lack of contact, but the shorter girl stays in her arms, sure to show Amanda her protective side.

"Well _shit_ , I guess Kim really _is_ a lesbo," Amanda says, her tone almost impressed.

"Bisexual, dumbass," Kim rolls her eyes, grabs Trini's hands and pushes past Amanda towards the living room where everyone is dancing. The second they're out of Amanda's line of sight, Kim looks down at Trini with concerned eyes. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I'm-" Trini swallows, takes a deep breath. Kim can see the flush of her cheeks, her deep brown eyes somehow darker than they were moments before. It has Kim reeling that she can affect Trini as much as the shorter girl can affect her. "I'm good."

"Good," Kim smiles softly, albeit completely unsure because she just made out with her best friend in a closet, basically dry humped her while they did, and _liked_ it. God her life is a mess. "So.. dancing?"

"Yeah, yeah lets do that," Trini smirks slightly, and just like that everything is back to normal. Except Kim can't stop thinking of how desperately Trini said her name and how her body felt against her own.


	4. Step Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step Four: Convince yourself_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: Wicked Games by The Weeknd_

It's been two weeks since their encounter in the closet and Trini is losing her goddamn mind.

First of all, they didn't _have_ to do anything in that closet. Her and Kim aren't actually dating, so there was no reason for her to actually try and prove anything to Amanda. Hell, the two of them could've just messed their clothes up a bit and tousled their hair some to make it _look_ like they did something. But _no_ , Kimberly freaking Hart went in for the kill and kissed Trini instead.

Second of all, there was something about that kiss that was absolutely _wild_. Maybe it was because they were buzzing with nervous energy from the encounter with Amanda, maybe it was the alcohol, Trini has no idea. But that kiss was desperate and needy and so damn _hot_. And Trini can't get it out of her goddamn head.

Last of all, the most embarrassing part for Trini, was the grinding. The second Kim's hips starting moving against her own, Trini was done for. The minute she joined in, however, it was like the two of them were trying to dry hump each other like stereotypical teenagers. But god, the way Trini moaned Kim's name was filthy and embarrassing as fuck.

In conclusion, Trini's been doing her best to avoid being alone with Kim for the better part of the last two weeks.

So when Zack comes into the pit with news of a party in town, Trini is more than hesitant to agree. In fact, she's nearly adamant to disagree.

"No."

"Come on, T," Zack whines, giving her his bad boy pout that he knows won't do shit for her. "A Ranger party isn't a Ranger party without my favorite Crazy Girl!"

"Ranger party?" Great. Of course Kim chooses that moment to walk into the pit. She bounces down from the wall of boulders, a smile plastered on her stupid, perfect face. "Count me in."

"See T! Even Kim is in!" Something about the way Zack says it makes Trini think he knows something. Either that or he's trying to hook them up. Whatever the reason, it doesn't stop Trini from sending him a death glare. "Come on, you gotta go. It's not nearly as fun without you."

"I'm sure Kim can substitute for me in our usual shot-fest," Trini says, gesturing to the pink ranger without looking at her. She's still too embarrassed and she's not about to get drunk at a party with the short haired girl and embarrass herself _again_.

"And you expect me to lift Kim on my shoulders? Nope, not gonna happen," Jason cuts in, looking down at Trini while placing a comforting hand on her shoulder, his eyes filled with concern. "Are you possessed? Or is it because of what happened with Amanda? Because I can kick her ass for you."

Trini resists the urge to roll her eyes. She knows Jason means well, that he's trying to make sure she's comfortable and safe, but it's so typical of him to go into dad mode. On the other hand, if only he knew what became of what happened with Amanda.

"Uh.. yeah," Trini says, awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck. The only person here who knows what happened is Kim and Trini prays she doesn't say anything. "But it's chill, don't worry about it."

"Please come Trini," Billy comes in quietly, and Trini groans internally because no one in their right mind can say no to Billy Cranston. "You can stay sober with me if you want? I understand you want to be comfortable."

Surprisingly to Trini, Kim has said nothing. The pink ranger is just staring at her expectantly, waiting to see what she'll say. In fact, all of the rangers are staring at her expectantly. Sighing defeatedly, Trini runs a hand through her hair. "Fine. But don't let me get hammered."

-

Trini is gonna kill them all when she's sober.

All she asked was to keep her from getting hammered, and now she's in the back of Billy's van absolutely trashed. Jason is in the passenger seat, surprisingly less drunk than expected, whispering something Trini can't hear to Billy.

"Trini, we're gone take you to Kim's tonight. There's no way you can make it into your house quietly in this state," Billy says softly. Trini's too drunk to care about the implications of staying at Kim's, so she nods in agreement and leaning against Zack's shoulder, her eyes falling shut contently.

Fifteen minutes pass by in a blur and suddenly Trini is face first in Kim's bed, uninhibitedly taking a deep breath and sighing happily at the smell that's so undeniably Kim. She completely forgets that she should be terrified to be alone with Kim right now, what with her gay feelings and all, and turns over to see Kim still standing by her door.

" _Kimmmm_ ," Trini whines, managing to get up on her feet without falling back down. Kim looks up at her with wide eyes, like she's been caught doing something she shouldn't. It makes Trini giggle. "You okay?"

"Yeah I uh- yeah, I'm good," Kim rushes out, her face flushing slightly, but Trini isn't having it. She walks a little closer to Kim, not noticing how the girl takes a small step back with every step Trini takes closer until her back is on the door.

"You sure?" Trini asks, suddenly much closer to Kim than she was before. She looks up at the pink ranger, notices the way her chest moves up and down at a much faster pace than before, notices how her eyes are darting everywhere but Trini. "I can go if you want?"

Kim shakes her head quickly, swallowing her nerves. "No I uh.. I just gotta.." Kim trails off, leaving Trini even more confused than before. She's about to ask the pink ranger what's going on when Kim shakes her head, similar to the way she did in the closet, and Trini knows what's coming, meets Kim halfway when she leans forward to connect their lips.

Trini knows, _god_ does Trini know, that they shouldn't be doing this. There's no one they're trying to protect the other from, no one is around; it's just the two of them, _alone_ , in Kim's room. But when Kim's tongue finds hers, Trini can't help but moan into her mouth and all of her logical thoughts go flying out the window.

Kim's arms wrap around Trini almost protectively, Trini's own wrapping around the taller girl's neck, pulling her closer and deeper into her. Kim steps forward, causing Trini to stumble back with her until the backs of her knees are hitting the bed and she falls to a sitting position. Kim's stood above her, chest heaving and eyes black with lust. Trini bets she looks about the same, especially when Kim's hands go to the hem of her own shirt, tugging it off and throwing it somewhere in her room.

Even before becoming Power Rangers, Kim was built like a goddess, with her perfect body and subtle muscles from cheerleading. But god, seeing it for herself, Trini can't help but drop her jaw at the sight of a shirtless Kim. The pink ranger leans forward, her hands grabbing at Trini's flannel and pulling it down her arms to reveal only a black sports bra.

"Jesus," Kim breathes out, planting one knee on one side of Trini before swinging the other one over her hips, effectively straddling the yellow ranger. Trini acts quickly. grabbing Kim's face and pulling her back down for a desperate and searing kiss, one that barely lasts two seconds before it has both girls moaning into each other's mouths.

Kim's hips start moving subconsciously, just like they had in the closet, except with the taller girl on top of her the pleasure is better, _more_ , and Trini feels like her whole body is on fire.

" _Kim_ ," she whimpers into the other girl's mouth, rubbing her hands all over Kim's body wherever she can reach. Kim groans at the sound, mumbling a quiet ' _fuck_ ' into Trini's mouth as her hips start to move harder, more precise, and both girls are moaning with nearly every breath they take.

"Kim _please_ ," Trini begs into the crook of Kim's neck, attaching her lips to every inch of skin on Kim's neck, listening to the girl whimper above her as she keens into her touch. Kim swallows thickly, Trini can feel it against her lips, before her hands make quick work of Trini's bra, her own following right after. The pink ranger pushes Trini onto her back, both girls taking a moment to just stare.

"God you're beautiful," Kim says after a few beats of silence, her eyes roaming the newly exposed skin. Trini might not always show it off, but she knows she's well endowed in certain areas, and it seems Kim knows it too.

"You're one to talk, _princesa_ ," Trini replies breathlessly, proud of herself for managing a sarcastic comment when Kimberly Hart is half naked on top of her and all she wants to do is put her mouth all over her skin. Apparently the Spanish slip was a good choice, because Kim nearly growls as she leans down and brings their lips together, both girls moaning at the feeling of their bare chests pressed together.

Trini knows she won't last long, what with nearly a month of teasing moments with the girl above her, so she quickly moves her hands to Kim's pants, trying to undo the button while the girl above her is nipping at her neck, marking her as her own and-

A loud slam of the front door jostles both girls, Kim jumping so high she almost falls off of the bed. The two girls make eye contact, the fear of being caught in such a compromising situation sobering them both up immediately. Kim stands quickly, tossing Trini a t-shirt and some sleep shorts, both girls getting dressed quickly and getting into the bed before whichever of Kim's parents that just arrived comes up to check on them.

Trini's heart is racing in her chest as she lays facing the opposite direction of Kim, along with her thoughts. She and Kim almost had _sex_. They almost had sex and no one was around. They almost had sex because they _wanted_ to. The thought is absolutely terrifying, and it has Trini jumping out of Kim's window the minute the pink ranger falls asleep.


	5. Step Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step Five: Avoid the consequence_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: I Fall Apart by Post Malone_

"Trini?"

Trini looks up from where she's been hiding in the library to see the one and only Billy Cranston looking down at her, a hesitant yet worried look on his face. Trini sighs softly, knowing she can't keep running from everyone when Billy is right here, and gives him a small smile.

"What's up, Billy?"

"Is it okay if I sit down?" He asks softly, careful not to draw the attention of the librarian. "I know you've been avoiding us so I don't want to make you uncomfortable but I really want to talk to you because you're my friend and-"

"Billy," Trini raises a hand to get him to stop rambling, smirking slightly at the blue ranger. "Of course you can sit, thank you for asking."

Billy beams down at her, sitting down before setting up his notebook that has been deemed the 'Ranger Book' by all of their other teammates. Billy would spend hours scribbling into the little notebook, trying to figure out everything being a Power Ranger means and what comes with it. He would also keep track of the other ranger's behaviors and how it affected their bond in there, doing his absolute best to keep them on track. Trini had to bite back a groan because she knows Billy has noticed something is wrong with her now, she just hopes he doesn't figure out exactly what it is.

"Have you been feeling okay?" Billy asks softly, nothing but genuine care lacing his tone of voice. It warms Trini's heart, despite what she's dealing with. "Ever since the last party you've been distant and I'm worried. Did I do something to upset you?"

"God no, you could never upset me, Lil Bill," Trini smiles at him, giving him a sense of comfort. "No I'm good it's just.. it's been a weird week. I've been trying to get my head on straight."

'Literally and metaphorically,' Trini thought with a silent yet sad chuckle.

"I think one of us is having problems with another ranger," Billy explains, showing Trini two very intricate drawings. "The drawing on the left is the morphing grid when we first morphed; very complete and stable." He moves his pen to the other drawing, much more deformed and wild. "This is the morphing grid now. It's like something's interfering with it. I know it's directly tied to our power coins so it has to be one of us that's-"

"Messing it up," Trini mutters, inwardly cursing herself for letting this thing with Kim not only affect them, but the Power Rangers as a whole. "Is it messing with our ability to morph?"

"A little, yeah," Billy nods solemnly. "My armor was flickering in and out last time I tried to morph."

"Fuck," Trini exhales, running a hand through the not-braided side of her hair. She needs to fix this messed up shit with Kimberly before it gets one of them killed _again_. "I.. I'm gonna go see if I can figure this out. Keep me updated on the grid, okay?" Trini asks Billy, who nods immediately in agreement.

"I'll send you pictures if it changes again," Billy supplies, Trini smiling at him one last time before making her way out of the library. She pulls her phone out, nervous energy filling her body, when she shoots the pink ranger a text.

**Trini: We need to talk.**

Barely ten seconds pass before Trini's phone buzzes in her hand. Trini feels like she might throw up with how nervous she feels. Hesitantly, she brings the phone up to eye level, seeing what Kim said in response.

**Kim: About time. Meet me at my lake.**

-

Trini makes it to Kim's hidden lake a little earlier than anticipated, the early afternoon air fresh as she sits down on the rock formation overlooking the clear water. Her mind is racing, thinking of all of the things that would come out of this talk, all of the ways she could apologize for even letting things escalate far enough for them to do that. Sure, she knows Kim is bisexual, but she doesn't have feelings for Trini. Trini doesn't even know if she has feelings for Kim.

(That's a total lie. She knows she has feelings for Kim. It's why she ran so fast from her after they almost had sex.)

In the middle of preparing her long and thorough apology, the snap of a twig from behind her catches her attention. Turning, she sees Kimberly Hart, in her usual skinny jeans, tank top, and leather jacket attire. God it's so normal but it still makes Trini's breath hitch.

"I'm surprised you showed, honestly," Kim says softly, kicking at a pebble on the stony floor. Her voice betrays no emotion, but the yellow ranger can see in her face that she looks upset, almost crestfallen. Trini's head falls slightly, embarrassed and ashamed that Kim thinks that of her. 

" _But_ ," Kim's voice cuts through the air once again, "I'm glad you came."

The pink ranger takes a seat beside Trini, her feet dangling off the side of the small cliff unlike Trini's, whose are tucked underneath her legs. "So, wanna tell me why I haven't seen you in a week? Or why you ran out of my room like I had the plague?"

"You know exactly why," Trini says, her voice low and small. This is one of those moments where Trini wishes she could fold in on herself, make herself smaller than she already is. Her arms are crossed and her head is dipped downward, trying her best to accomplish her wishes.

"No Trin, I don't," Kim says with a sigh, like she's disappointed with the answer she got. "I have no idea why you're avoiding me so adamantly."

"Because we almost had sex!" Trini exclaims, burying her face into her hands to hide her embarrassment. 'God, why is this so hard?' she thinks to herself. "We almost had sex and- and I shouldn't have let us go that far."

"You're speaking like you know what I want," Kim says pointedly, her head tipped to the side slightly as she burns holes into the side of Trini's head. If Trini wasn't trying to avoid a breakdown, she would let herself admire how cute Kim looks with her head tilted like a puppy's.

"You don't want that, I know that for sure," Trini shrugs, feigning nonchalance. "We're just a tag team to ward off the creeps at parties. It's easy and it doesn't mean anything. That's how it's always been."

Kim's eyebrows knit together in confusion, her mouth opening like she's going to say something, to argue Trini's point. Trini is quick to put her hand up, though, effectively stopping Kim in her tracks. "Look, I just wanted to come apologize. Billy says our bullshit is messing up the morphing grid and I don't want it to get us killed. So I'm sorry I got carried away. Won't happen again."

Trini pushes herself up onto her feet, ignoring the incredulous look Kim is giving her and making her way towards the woods. "I'll see you at training alright?"

Before Kim can even reply, Trini is turning and making her way towards the forest. She thought talking to the pink ranger would help, would ease the tension in her shoulders, but now her chest is heavy with a new emotion that the shorter girl can't pinpoint. Releasing a deep sigh, Trini reaches the cliff above the ship and jumps down without second thought.


	6. Step Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step Six: Accept the truth_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: Wolves by Marshmello/Selena Gomez_

"Alright guys! That was great! Awesome training session!"

Trini rolls her eyes at Jason's overexcitement, pulling her dirty and matted hair up into a ponytail. She adamantly ignores Kim's eyes on her, knowing the girl is dying to try and talk to her but she said her piece, so they're fine. Well, fine enough.

Zack stands from the boulder he's sitting on, his usual smug grin on his face as he addresses the rangers. "Anyone up for a party tonight?"

Trini opens her mouth, ready to happily accept. Lord knows she needs a few shots after the last few weeks she's had. Before she can voice her approval, Kim stands, quickly cutting her off.

"Trini and I can't, we've got a biology project to take care of. Raincheck?"

Trini is about to protest, complain that Kim can't just spew bullshit whenever she wants, when Kim gives her a look that says 'don't argue and accept it'. The look pins Trini to her spot, her mouth hung open slightly as she nods dejectedly, looking to Zack and shrugging.

"Boo," Zack pouts, clearly upset he can't party with his favorite crazy girl. "Well hurry up and finish it so we can all go out tomorrow, sound good?"

"Perfect," Kim smiles, that stupid perfect smile of hers, before addressing Trini once again. "Come on, Tiny T, let's go."

"Don't call me tiny," Trini grumbles under her breath but follows her nonetheless.

The walk to Kim's is probably the most awkward experience Trini has ever had in her entire life. Neither of them say a single word; neither girl knowing what to say or where to even begin. Trini's beginning to regret ever agreeing to let Kim drag her to her house like this when they reach her driveway and she notices that no one is home. Swallowing nervously, she follows Kim inside, letting the pink ranger shut the door behind her.

"Look, we need to talk," Kim starts, but Trini cuts her off immediately with a shake of her head and a deflective roll of her eyes.

"No, we already talked," the shorter girl crosses her arms defensively.

"No, _you_ already talked," Kim says pointedly, stepping slightly toward the yellow ranger. "You didn't let me say shit."

"You were just gonna say what I had already said-"

"You have no idea what I was going to say," Kim cuts her off with a humorless laugh. "You can't just.. decide how I feel out of convenience. You're my best friend, you know I can't handle people deciding how I feel for me."

Trini ducks her head because she knows it's true. Kim hates being controlled and that's pretty much exactly what Trini had done. "I-"

"Just let me talk, okay?" Kim says, her voice much softer this time. When Trini nods slightly, still refusing to look at the pink ranger, Kim takes a deep breath before beginning.

"Look, Trini, you might think you know what's going on but you're so, _so_ wrong. I could've picked anyone to fake date me at that party, literally _anyone_ , yet I chose you. And I continued to choose you at every party. Does that not make you think that maybe, just maybe, I might feel what you're feeling too?"

Trini doesn't answer, opting to shuffle on her feet and stare at the floor instead of responding to Kim's question. Mostly because she knows that Kim is right, and that she was just too scared to accept that there was a chance that the beautiful ex-cheerleader might feel the same way.

Kim steps closer, taking Trini's chin between her thumb and index finger so she can prompt the shorter girl to look at her. When Trini's eyes meet her own, she flashes the yellow ranger a small but comforting smile. "If you can honestly tell me you don't feel _something_ for me, I'll drop it and pretend none of this ever happened. We can go back to being best friends and I'll never bring this up again."

Trini swallows thickly, her mouth suddenly dry due to the short distance between the two girls. Even if she wanted to, the shorter girl knows she could never lie to the girl in front of her. Damn her and her weakness for pretty girls.

"What if I can't?" Trini asks instead of answering, her voice small and shaking with her nerves as her eyes flicker between Kim's own, occasionally dipping down towards the taller girl's lips.

Knowing she's won, Kim smiles, a smile Trini's only seen when it's just the two of them. A smile Kim has reserved for Trini and Trini alone. Rather than answering, Kim uses her grip on Trini's chin to pull her closer, leaning down to meet Trini's lips in a soft kiss.

Trini can tell the moment their lips touch that this kiss is incredibly different than the last few they've shared. Rather than being fueled by desire and need, brought on by a mess of hormones mixed with alcohol, this one is soft, full of care and affection. That doesn't mean Trini's head still isn't spinning from the contact.

The kiss stays consistent, the girls never increasing past their languid pace. Trini's hands stop awkwardly hanging by her side and find purchase on Kim's hips, roaming across her toned back and tugging her closer. Kim's other hand makes its way into Trini's hair, gently combing through the ombré locks as she drags her tongue across Trini's bottom lip, asking for an access that she's immediately granted.

Their tongues meet with a soft moan, each girl offering their own push and pull, their own give and take to the kiss. Kim steps forward, her body pressed flush against Trini's own, her head tipping slightly to the side. The action effectively deepens the kiss, causing Trini to involuntarily whimper into Kim's mouth. The taller girl doesn't seem to mind, judging by the way she increases their pace slightly, and Trini is left holding onto the small of her back for dear life as Kimberly Hart claims her for her own.

Their kisses start to become needy, more frantic like they had always been before, except their not worried about what this means or where it'll lead right now. Right now they're just Kim and Trini, and they're enjoying the connection they share. Trini sighs into Kim's mouth because it couldn't be more-

Trini's phone goes off loudly, making the shorter ranger jump before groaning loudly.

"God, can I _ever_ get off?" Trini nearly shouts into the empty house. Kim chuckles and pulls Trini's head against her chest, waiting patiently as the yellow ranger answers her phone. Trini has half a mind to ignore whoever it is, but when she sees Billy's contact photo, the boy smiling wide as ever in his triceratops zord, she knows she has to answer.

"What's up, Lil Bill?" Trini asks a little breathlessly, praying the blue ranger won't notice.

_"Did you figure out what was going on between us? Because the morphing grid is going crazy!"_ Billy shouts into the receiver, ever excited about his discovery.

Trini looks up to see Kim looking down at her curiously, the yellow ranger shaking her head slightly before leaning up on her tip toes and placing a quick kiss to the taller girl's lips. "Yeah, Billy. I did. Can we morph again?"

_"Let me check,"_ Billy says quickly, and there's radio silence on his end for a moment before Trini hears a loud whoop come from his end. _"Yes we can! Our armor is perfectly in tact again!"_

"Perfect," Trini smiles, biting her lip slightly to contain a laugh over Billy's enthusiasm. She really does love that boy. "Oh, and change of plans. Kim and I are gonna come to that party tonight. Sound good?"

_"That's great!"_ Billy yells, and Trini can almost imagine him clapping his hands in the way only Billy does. _"Tell Kimberly Hart I say hi!"_

"I will, Lil Bill. Love you!"

_"Love you too! Bye Trini!"_

Trini ends the calls, tucking her phone into her back pocket and looking up to see Kim staring at her with warm eyes. Trini's eyebrows scrunch together in confusion, and Kim shakes her head and places a kiss where her eyebrows are furrowing.

"You're just so good with him, it makes me happy," Kim says against her forehead, wrapping her arms around Trini for a hug. Trini's hands find their place around Kim's waist once again, both girls just enjoying the contact for a few moments.

"We couldn't morph?" Kim asks softly, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"I told you our bullshit was fucking up the morphing grid," Trini murmurs against Kim's chest, feeling to Kim's chuckle vibrate in her chest.

"Good thing we're back on our bullshit then, right?" Kim asks in a way that prompts Trini to lean back and look up at her. Shaking her head with a breathy laugh, Trini leans up and kisses Kim softly for a brief moment, smiling into the kiss.

"Right."


	7. Step Seven

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _Step Seven: Stop pretending_
> 
>  
> 
> _Song for Chapter: The Sound by The 1975_

Trini chuckles to herself as she leans against the doorway between the living room and the kitchen, watching a drunk Kim try to teach an overly excited Billy how to dance in the most obnoxious and hilarious ways possibly, ranging from the shopping cart to the lawnmower. Moments like this always warm her heart; watching her best friends interact without a care in the world and without the literal weight of the world on their shoulders.

"They're adorable," Trini hears Jason say behind her, the smile evident in his voice. She smiles too, leaning back against him where his arm wraps around her shoulders across her front in a strange hug from behind. He rubs her shoulder comfortingly, and Trini just basks in the red ranger's warmth as she nods against his chest.

"Are you and Kim okay?" Jason leans down and asks against her ear quietly, knowing that there was something going on between the two female rangers but not wanting to say anything out of fear of disturbing the balance between all of them.

Trini sighs softly, nodding once again against his chest. She watches the pink ranger laugh uninhibitedly as Billy does some completely random move that's so entirely Billy that no one can even try to question it. Her heart pounds a little harder in her chest at the sight of Kim's smile, her own making it's way back onto her face. "Yeah.. yeah, we're good now. We just had to.. figure some stuff out."

"And what's the consensus?" Jason asks, something about his tone so free of judgement that Trini knows no matter what she tells him, he'll still love and support her nonetheless.

"I don't really know what we are yet, but we're something," Trini turns sideways, so she can make eye contact with Jason and still see their best friends on the dance floor. Jason gives her a smile, his ranger leader smile when he's proud of his teammates for landing a move or beating one another in combat training. Trini knows he's proud of her, the first time anyone's ever been proud of her for something regarding her everyday life and not school or training or anything mundane. He's proud of her for figuring her heart out and she'd be lying if she said it didn't bring a few tears to her eyes.

"Come here," he prompts her with a nudge to her shoulder, engulfing her in his giant arms while her hands wrap tightly around his torso, burying her face into his chest and not minding the smell of men's cologne for once. He pulls back, putting both hands firmly on her shoulders and looking her in the eyes with a proud glint still in his eyes. "Now, let's go get your girl."

Trini gives him a face splitting smile, immediately blushing at the implication of Kim being 'her girl'. Jason just grins, gives her a little shove before he turns around and bends down slightly, Trini jumping on his back with a happy squeal. He laughs with her, carrying her through the crowd yelling, "Precious cargo! Coming through!"

Kim and Billy turn to see Jason coming towards them, a giggling Trini on his back, and yell excitedly at their arrival. Jason puts Trini onto the ground and immediately migrates to Billy, the two of them doing the worst dance moves imaginable. Trini actually snorts when she sees Jason try to do Billy's self-proclaimed Megazord dance, 'The Algebra', but the feeling of two arms wrapped loosely around her waist grabs her attention, turning to see a smiling Kimberly Hart standing in her personal space.

Trini flashes Kim her signature smirk, snaking her arms up and around Kim's neck in the process. The two of them don't say anything, just swaying in time to the music, in time with one another, but Trini wouldn't have it any other way. From where she is, she can watch Kim lose herself in the music, just like she always does at parties. But this time Trini is wrapped up in her arms, losing herself in Kimberly Hart, while the pink ranger loses herself in the tiny Latina in her arms.

"Jason knows, by the way," Trini cuts into the comfortable silence between them, her smirk never leaving her face. "That we're something."

"I'm pretty sure all of Angel Grove knows we're something," Kim laughs, never stopping her movements as the two of them talk. Trini tilts her head to the side, looking at Kim funny, when Kim clarifies. "We've been fake dating this whole time, remember? We're Angel Grove High's hottest gossip."

"Ah yes, the whole thing that started this mess," Trini teases, a playful glint in her eyes. "You know, this is all your fault."

" _My_ fault?" Kim asks in a faux scandalized voice. Trini laughs loudly at the look on Kim's face, as if she's completely offended at the accusation, before smirking at the girl once again.

"Yep, you just _had_ to kiss me," Trini plays into it. "Which, I get, because I'm completely irresistible-"

"Oh my god, you _gotta_ stop hanging out with Zack. You sound just like him," Kim tips her head back, laughs freely into the air, unknowingly taking the air from Trini's lungs in the process. Trini is quick to recover, shoving Kim in the shoulder.

"Do _not_ compare me to that lumbering bafoon," Trini complains, making Kim laugh even more. "I'm just saying, I'm _pretty_ great-"

"Oh my god, okay, shut up," Kim laughs, leaning down and connecting her lips with Trini's. It barely works, both girls are too busy laughing and smiling to even kiss back, but it's perfect.

Trini can't resist, though.

"See, I told you!" She shouts, laughing loudly due to the alcohol in her veins and the beautiful girl in front of her. "I'm irresistible!"

"Yeah yeah, just shut up and kiss me," Kim smiles, her forehead leaning against Trini's own, and the yellow ranger happily obliges, this time much more functional.

The kiss is full of promises for the future, for the rangers, for each other. Kim's hand moves up from behind her back to cradle her jaw, taking her time exploring Trini's mouth with her own, her body with her hands, and Trini nearly melts in the pink ranger's hands. Trini's hands bury themselves into Kim's hair, pulling her closer, deeper-

"Ay! Crazy Girl has game!"

Trini practically growls into Kim's mouth at the interruption. Kim laughs against her lips, caressing her cheek with her thumb as she warns her, "Play nice."

"I'll play nice when I finally get laid," Trini complains, making Kim throw her head back with laughter once more. Trini turns to see Zack, his thumbs up in approval but a guilty smile on his face, knowing he interrupted a moment. Trini just smiles softly, shaking her head as she gestures for him to join their dance party. He holds up a finger, prompting her to wait a moment, before rounding the corner with two handfuls of shots.

The night ends as all parties with the Rangers do; with Trini on Jason's back, throwing back shots with Zack, while Billy watches over them and Trini watches Kim dance her heart out to the music. The only difference is that when Trini leans over Jason's side, puckering her lips expectantly, Kim's smile is as bright as the sun when she leans over to connect their lips, both girls smiling too widely to actually kiss one another.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's weird that this is over but it's over! I really hope you guys liked this, I had a fun time writing it! I appreciate all of your comments and kudos and everything and you're all beautiful people and I hope you all had a great halloween and continue to have great days in the future!
> 
> -Katie


End file.
